Assume Good Intent

by Jason Thompson, VP of Diversity and Inclusion at Techstars

A couple of years ago I was asked to be on a panel to discuss diversity and inclusion at a very successful tech company. The event was held at their recently built headquarters. The place was amazing! It had a coffee bar, a cafeteria with a sushi chef, meditation rooms, and every modern amenity that all tech companies instinctively know to include in their buildings.

How to Keep Good Employees

After the panel, I was asked to meet with a small group of employees from diverse backgrounds. The employees of this tech company were in the process of attempting to start employee resource groups (ERGs) for employees from underrepresented groups. They told me they were getting a lot of pushback from company leaders. There were concerns that these groups were somehow self-segregating and might make some of the white males feel unwelcome. Moreover, they needed to give the management team the business case for employee resource groups. In this case it was LGBTQ, women, and people of color that were organizing ERGs.

To answer the question of the business case for ERGs, I looked across the pristine lobby and pointed at the ping pong table and said, “What is the business case for that? And what was the business case for the coffee bar? Did anyone need to explain that to the leadership team?”

This group of employees looked at me, and I did not have to say another word. They intuitively got the point I was making: tech company leaders rarely need the business case for ping pong tables or coffee bars, because these are things companies provide to keep “good employees.” It hadn’t yet occured to the leaders at this company that group meetings for employees from underrepresented groups is another thing that they could do to keep valued employees.

The Company Softball Team

ERG meetings are open to anyone to attend. If it is a women’s ERG, women are not required to attend and men are not prevented from attending. The basis of the ERG is that all participants have agreed that the intent of the meeting is to discuss issues/opportunities for women. It is just like the company softball team. If you go to the practice or game, everyone assumes you are there to play softball. It is not a group of people organizing against those that don’t play softball.

Assume Good Intent

As for the other part of the question, that ERGs might make white males feel uncomfortable, this is my request: assume good intent.

Throughout my career I have walked by many rooms full of employees, and I have never yet assumed they are segregating themselves or were up to something negative. In addition, it’s not unusual for these groups of employees to be all white, or even all white and all male — but I still assume good intent.

When you see ERGs in action, I ask you to assume good intent.

If you are thinking that you would not be welcome in the room, or that this group is planning a coup, you are the problem. It is time for some self-evaluation.

What you are feeling or thinking when you see a room of Latinx employees has nothing to do with the group of people, and everything to do with the assumptions you are making about them. If your leadership team needs a business case for diverse employees with a shared experience meeting together, ask them to assume good intent. The company softball team is not for everyone, nor is the free coffee or the ping pong table — yet they are provided.

Accept a different reality

I often hear that people should be allowed to bring their complete selves to work. In some cases, that might mean that they would like to meet with people who have a shared experience, including sometimes a shared struggle. The reality is that the world is still struggling with issues of race, gender, ability, sexual orientation, and other “isms.” Ignoring that reality is not a solution.

Anytime you’re faced with a group that isn’t just like you, I ask you to assume good intent and accept that some people have a different reality than yours. Some people want to play ping pong, some join the company softball team, and others meet in a room to discuss their shared experience. All of these activities keep good employees: so assume good intent.